Article originally written for Total Motorsport but could not be published in time for the race weekend. It remains untouched from its original state including DMY date format, British English spelling, and unique quirks of the site. The only changes made are technical adaptations for this site.

Kurt Busch has been through plenty of challenges throughout his NASCAR career, but 2026 has by far seen the toughest summer of his life. It has been just over a month since the passing of his younger brother Kyle from pneumonia and sepsis, a tragedy that has left Kurt grieving since.

Come July, he will get back in the race car once more, this time with Kyle’s memory riding with him. Busch is one of 36 cars signed up for the HSR NASCAR weekend at the Le Mans Classic on 2–5 July, taking part in his old Chevrolet Camaro from 2020. Qualifying will be on 3 July, followed by the first race on 4 July and two more on the final day.

The Le Mans Classic is a vintage car event held at Circuit de la Sarthe, competing on the full 13.65-kilometre course as a tribute to the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Co-sponsored by the ACO, it consists of the Le Mans Classic Legend and Le Mans Classic Heritage, the former being held in even-numbered years like 2026 and the latter in odd; the Heritage is for cars from the inaugural Le Mans 24 in 1923 until 1976, while the Legend is for vehicles since ’76.

Historic Sportscar Racing, the premier vintage motorsport sanctioning body in the United States, was invited to Le Mans for 2026 alongside its NASCAR Classic series. Founded in 2024, NASCAR Classic is co-organised by the Historic Stock Car Racing Association with the blessing of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. Le Mans will be HSR’s first time racing overseas.

While Busch retired from full-time racing due to a concussion in 2022, he is able to dabble in less-intensity races since. He and Travis Pastrana represented Team USA at the Race of Champions in 2025, then he won the IROC exhibition race at the Heritage Invitational in April.

Le Mans, of course, is a much different road course from what he was used to during his Hall of Fame career. Still, he was eager to take part and pulled out his #1 Monster Energy-liveried Camaro from his private collection for the race. Busch won the South Point 400 at his home track Las Vegas Motor Speedway with this car.

Rather than #1, however, he changed the number to #8 as Kyle’s final ride prior to his death.

Kurt and the Busch family were honoured by NASCAR prior to the Coca-Cola 600, the first race since losing Kyle, where he also laid eight flowers on the #8 stencilled into the infield. The flowers stayed there, untouched, the entire race.

“Finding a silver lining, I reflect back on the days Kyle and I raced anything we could get our hands on,” Kurt said in his first public statement since the news. “From big wheels to competing on the biggest stages in motorsports, we were more than just fierce competitors. We pushed each other, challenged each other, and learned from each other.

“Kyle, your passion, determination, and love for your family inspired everyone who knew you. No trophy, championship, or accomplishment could ever measure the impact you had on my life and on so many others. I will forever be grateful for the memories we made, the lessons you taught me, and the brotherhood we shared. My heart is broken, but I know your spirit will always ride with me.

“Rest easy, little brother.”

Entrants

While Busch has renumbered his car, his #1 will still be on track thanks to Raymond Webb. Webb’s car is another Ganassi machine originally driven by Busch in 2019 before being bought by Spire Motorsports and eventually Trackhouse Racing, respectively being piloted by Corey LaJoie and Ross Chastain. The “Be a Moose” livery refers to Chastain being part of the Moose Fraternity, which sponsored him until 2023.

David Roberts is taking part in the #2 Dodge Charger, another with a Busch connection as this specific chassis (PRS-0111-749) was for short tracks during his final season at Penske Racing in 2011; at the time, he drove the #22. When Busch left the team at season’s end, it moved to the #2 Miller Lite team of Brad Keselowski and was used for road courses en route to the 2012 championship. Roberts won the car at an auction on Bring a Trailer in 2025.

The legendary Dale Earnhardt and his iconic Goodwrench #3 will be represented by Micheal Parsons. His car, chassis RC-02, was used by Earnahrdt at road courses in 1993 and 1994.

There are two #4 entries, one of which is a truck. The Silverado, to be piloted by former gridiron footballer Scott Dolfi, was used by John Hunter Nemechek during his early career in 2015 and 2016 with two victories. The #4 Charger of Christophe Schwartz was built by Petty Enterprises in 1973 for Butch Hartmann, who won the 1974 USAC stock car title with it; it was rebodied into a Magnum in 1978 before resuming life as a Charger in 1993.

Two of the three #6 cars are Fords: Curt Vogt’s was originally a late ’90s Jimmy Spencer road racer but is currently decked out in Mark Martin’s Valvoline livery, while Christopher Allen’s was used by Martin for real in 1989 and 1990 for road races and has Folger’s sponsorship. The latter was scrapped after the 1990 season before being restored in 2018. The non-Ford is a Dodge Challenger driven by Peter Klutt in the 2016 Canadian Tire Series. Klutt’s business Legendary Motorcar Company also prepared the #42 of J. Paul Haynes, which competed in the series from 2008 to 2018.

Larry Carroll will drive the #7 Mac Tools-sponsored Lumina used by Ed Berrier in the 1992 Busch Grand National Series. The chassis was one of just four to be built by Aaron Dudley, a decorated mechanic for Petty and Childress, before he turned it into a vintage racer and later sold it to Carroll.

Gary Moore is in the #12 Ford Thunderbird, which has been doing HSR races for the past five years. Before that, Derrike Cope drove the #12 for Bobby Allison Motorsports at road courses in 1994.

Both #15s raced in 2013, the first year of the Gen-6 car. Andrew Jordan is in a Camry that Clint Bowyer drove for Michael Waltrip Racing and finished runner-up at that year’s Toyota Owners 400. The other, driven by Rodney Reston, was originally the #10 of Danica Patrick that became Busch’s #41 when they were at Stewart-Haas Racing, then was transferred to Rick Ware Racing and became the #15 of James Davison that he raced in 2021.

The #17 Pontiac of Patrick Paul used to be Johnny Benson’s Pennzoil-sponsored #30 car in 1996 and 1997. Ricky Sanders, who owns the car now, renumbered it to #17.

Donnie Gould will race Wood Brothers Racing’s #21 Ford. Buddy Baker drove the Thunderbird to the 1983 Firecracker 400 victory before its conversion for road racing. IndyCar great and current team owner Bobby Rahal drove the new #21 in his lone NASCAR start at Riverside in 1984, after which it was used for road courses by WBR’s full-time drivers from 1985 to 1993.

There are two Ford Mustangs for #22, albeit of different backgrounds despite both liveries being of Penske cars. Chris Stillwell’s was previously used by David Ragan of Roush Fenway Racing at New Hampshire in 2009 before being piltoed by Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, and Matt Kenseth; its wrap and number have since been replaced by Discount Tire branding like what Penske’s old Nationwide Series cars used. Jeff McKee’s car began life with the Wood Brothers and Trevor Bayne, who raced chassis #738 from 2011 to 2013 before its acquisition by Rick Ware Racing. McKee has since turned it into a #22 Pennzoil car like what Joey Logano raced in 2021.

Robert Mau’s #23 was used by Smokin’ Joe’s Racing at road courses, with Hut Stricklin (1994) and Jimmy Spencer (1995 to 1998) as its pilots. When the Cup Series raced in Japan in the later half of the decade, the car was damaged and a replacement was new front clip was attached. The car eventually ended up at the Reynolda House Museum of American Art; the museum was founded by R.J. Reynolds, whose namesake cigarette company sponsored the Cup Series and the #23.

One of Jeff Gordon’s #24 DuPont cars that he raced in 2011 at Michigan and Pocono is now in the hands of Carlos de Quesada. Chassis 4-11-667 was sold by Hendrick Motorsports to a private collector before de Quesada got it.

Hendrick chassis 0306384 is the #25 that Casey Mears raced in the 2007 Cup season finale. Stanley Fulton will drive it in the Classic.

Alex Elbrow’s #43 Plymouth bears the same Petty Blue that Richard Petty made famous, but is actually a replica built in the UK in 2020.

“Obviously it’s not the original NASCAR but is as close as possible to replicate. Very popular and a crowd favourite,” Elbrow explained. “Will be off the pace of the more modern NASCARs but will hold its own.”

Another #43, this one an authentic NASCAR machine, will be driven by Christopher Evans. Chassis RK761, was fielded by Richard Petty Motorsports from 2011 to 2017 at road courses.

ARCA has some rep too courtesy of Nigel Armstrong, who is racing series legend Frank Kimmel’s 2007 Toyota Camry.

NASCAR veteran and HSR mainstay Joe Nemechek is bringing one of his usual #47 cars. The 2006 Camry was supposed to compete in the Busch Series but never saw action, so it was converted for K&N Pro Series road racing for his son John Hunter then became a test car. It has been competing in HSR since 2021.

Patrick Womack’s #48 is HMS chassis 540, which won at Phoenix in 2009 and New Hampshire in 2010 with Jimmie Johnson during his legendary Cup championship runs. The livery bears an American flag pattern as it was chassis 540’s final race in the 2011 Coca-Cola 600.

John McCormick’s #59 Ford was used by JTG Daugherty Racing for Marcos Ambrose during his early NASCAR career.

The #60 of Victor Corda was RK-648, which tragically has been driven by two drivers who passed away in December: it was Biffle’s #16 that he raced from 2009 to 2010, then Michael Annett’s #43 in 2012 before becoming a backup car for Richard Petty Motorsports. In between those stints, Edwards then drove it as the #60 in 2011.

Robin Haas’ #71 is an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme built by Dave Marcis in 1979. After enjoying success in America throughout the late 2000s and 2010s, it is today stored in Germany.

“The car represents the privateer spirit of Marcis, one of NASCAR’s most enduring driver/owners,” said Haas.

Dr. Jim Norman’s #88 was the eighth in a group of Pontiacs built for Rusty Wallace ahead of his rookie season in 1984 with Cliff Stewart Racing, intended for use in intermediate tracks. After a six-month restoration, it is good to go with Norman.

The #91 Dodge Charger of Lee Saunders started as the #50 of Arnold Motorsports for Spencer in 2005. It has since been turned into Saunders’ steed and resembling Kasey Kahne’s #9 Dodge with Mopar branding.

Buz McCall will drive the #96. His old NASCAR team American Equipment Racing fielded this car at road courses in 1998 with Robby Gordon and Ron Fellows, even starting on the front row at Watkins Glen with the latter. The car was then sold off in 2000 and went through a private collection before McCall earned it back in a 2024 auction.

Two of the cars are tributes to NASCAR’s official forays at the Le Mans 24 Hours: the #24 of J.C. France and the #90 of Jean Alvergnas. The #24 used to be Busch’s #41 before France—the grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France—changed the livery to resemble the Garage 56 car that raced Le Mans in 2023. The #90 is a tribute to NASCAR’s 1976 Le Mans attempt with Dick Brooks, Dick Hutcherson, and Marcel Mignot.

A similar package deal exists with Ricky Doonan’s #26 and Ryan Gemmell’s #55 as nods to the 2006 film Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. The latter is the original car used for Jean Girard in filming.

Entry list

Num.	Driver	Model	Sponsor
1	Raymond Webb	2019 Chevrolet Camaro	Moose Fraternity
2	David Roberts	2012 Dodge Charger	Miller Lite
3	Micheal Parsons	1993 Chevrolet Lumina	Goodwrench
4	Christophe Schwartz	1974 Dodge Charger	Olympia Beer
4	Scott Dolfi	2016 Chevrolet Silverado	Mobil 1
6	Christopher Allen	1989 Ford Thunderbird	Folgers
6	Curt Vogt	1997 Ford Thunderbird	Valvoline
6	Peter Klutt	2016 Dodge Challenger	Legendary Motorcar Company
7	Larry Carroll	1992 Chevrolet Lumina	Mac Tools
8	Kurt Busch	2020 Chevrolet Camaro	Monster Energy
12	Gary Moore	1994 Ford Thunderbird	Mane ‘n Tail
15	Andrew Jordan	2013 Toyota Camry	Peak Energy
15	Rodney Reston	2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1	Skip Barber Racing School
17	Patrick Paul	1996 Pontiac Grand Prix	Pennzoil
21	Donnie Gould	1990 Ford Thunderbird	Citgo
22	Chris Stillwell	2009 Ford Mustang	Discount Tire
22	Jeff McKee	2019 Ford Mustang	Pennzoil
23	Robert Mau	1994 Ford Thunderbird	Camel Cigarette
24	Carlos de Quesada	2011 Chevrolet Impala	DuPont
24	J.C. France	2014 Chevrolet Camaro	Garage 56
25	Stanley Fulton	2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo	National Guard / GMAC
26	Ricky Doonan	2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo	Wonder Bread
42	J. Paul Haynes	2008 Chevrolet Camaro	Legendary Motorcar Company
43	Alex Elbrow	1966 Plymouth Belvedere	Plymouth
43	Christopher Evans	2017 Ford Fusion	Smithfield Foods
44	Nigel Armstrong	2007 Toyota Camry	Menards
47	Joe Nemechek	2006 Toyota Camry	Old Spice
48	Patrick Womack	2009 Chevrolet Impala	Lowe’s
55	Ryan Gemmell	2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo	Perrier
59	John McCormick	2006 Ford Fusion	STP
60	Victor Corda	2009 Ford Mustang	Fastenal
71	Robin Haas	1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass	Transmissions Unlimited
88	Dr. Jim Norman	1984 Pontiac Grand Prix	Gatorade
90	Jean Alvergnas	1976 Ford Gran Torino	Truxmore Industries
91	Lee Saunders	2005 Dodge Charger	Mopar
96	Buz McCall	1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo	Caterpillar Inc.

Featured image credit: Goodyear